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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "ATM-CARD APPROVE" <infoatm@poconoymca.org>
Reply-To: atmdept01@8u8.hk
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 21:07:21 -0400
Subject: OUR REF: FGN /SNT/STBYOUR REF.

OUR REF: FGN /SNT/STBYOUR REF.

DEAR BENEFICIARY:

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR FILE AND IN
RESPECT OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUND RECOVERED BY THE CENTRAL BANK FROM THE
DEPOSITED BANK.AFTER THE CENTRAL BANK AUDIT THIS ECONOMIC YEAR A TOTAL PART
PAYMENT OF 850.000.00, USD HAS BEEN APPROVED TO BE PAID TO YOUR FAMILY.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER
ASIA PACIFIC THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM MR.PRESIDENT,UMARU YAR'ADUA
(GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE FBI.

THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW
YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS
$5000 USD PER DAY, SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US
KNOW BY CONTACTING THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT CARD PAYMENT
CENTER.

SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
:(atmdept01@8u8.hk)
Mr.RICHARD WHITE
Phone +234-80-752-64-595

1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER:
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD:
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION:

KINDEST REGARDS,
ALHAJI MANSUR MUHTAR
HONORABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE.

Anti-fraud resources: